Base for swivel chairs and the like



Sept. 23, 1941. J. R. JONES BASE FOR SWIVEL CHAIRS AND THE LIKE Filed March 28, 1940 mye w-wz M W @1462 im z. ATTO/Q/VEY Patented Sept. 23, 1941 James R. Jones, Lakewood, N. Y., assignor to Art Metal Construction Company, Jamestown,

Application March 28, 1940, Serial No. 326,444.

2 Claims.

This invention relates to bases for swivel chairs, stools and the like, which bases are of spiderlike form having legs radiating from a central hub or portion.

The objects of the invention are to provide a desirable base of this type which is of attractive, sturdy appearance and of light but strong and economical construction; also to provide such a base furnished with supporting casters in which the legs are formed and the casters arranged relatively to the legs so as to be more or less concealed or hidden from view by the ends of the legs, whereby the base is improved in function and appearance, making it more stable and of more pleasing and sturdy appearance.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following specification of the preferred embodiment of the invention, shown in the accompanying drawing, and the novel features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

L1 said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a View one-half in side elevation and one-half in vertical section, of a swivel chair base embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view thereof, partly in plan and partly in horizontal section, substantially on the line 22, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of one of the legs on line 3--3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a transverse, sectional elevation of the leg, on line 4-4, Fig. 1.

The base, as shown, consists of a single-piece die casting of aluminum comprising a hollow,

central or hub portion l and a plurality of legs H extending radially outward from the hub.

Preferably, there are four legs disposed at right angles to each other. Each of the legs is of substantially inverted U-shape in cross section, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, having opposite side walls l2 connected by an upwardly rounded or convexed top wall I3. The side walls of adjacent legs merge into each other at the center of the base forming curved hub side walls M between the legs, and the top walls or upper portions I3 of the legs, at their inner portions, merge into each other, forming the top wall [5 of the hub or central portion of the base. The hub portion of the base is braced and strengthened by an integral web or wall l5 which extends horizontally across the lower portion of the hollow hub and joins the inner portions of the side walls of the legs and the side walls I4 of the hub. In the top wall l5 and bottom web l6 of the hub are shown central circular holes I! and the lower part of the yoke l9.

Ila, in which may be secured the chair iron (not shown) for the reception of the usual spindle or post by which the chair seat is adjustably and rotatably mounted on the base. At its outer end, each leg has an end wall l8 which is preferably rounded or convex both horizontally and vertically to merge into the side and top walls of the leg so as to give the end of the leg a finished, convexed or rounded end formation end close the outer end of the space between the side walls of the leg.

Each leg is furnished at its outer end portion with a caster, which may be a swivelled roller caster of ordinary construction, but the caster is mounted and arranged with respect to the end of the leg so that the caster support or mounting and, preferably also the upper portion of the yoke or frame IS, in which the roller is journalled, are disposed within the hollow leg above the bottom edges of the side and end walls thereof, so that the hood-like end portion of the leg more or less covers and conceals the caster from view, except for a portion of the roller end Such arrangement or location of the casters, in addition to making the base lower and more stable, greatly improves its appearance, producing the pleasing effect on the eye of the observer, which enhances the attractiveness and sales value of the base. The base has a lower, sturdier and better balanced appearance, which is very much more attractive and pleasing than bases of previous constructions in which the caster sockets or mountings are located at the bottoms of the leg ends so that practically the whole casters are exposed to view beneath the legs and give a more or less unsightly and unstable or ungainly appearance to the bases.

The casters may be swivelled or rotatably mounted on the base so as to extend up into the hollow legs above the bottom edges thereof,

as stated, in any suitable manner. As shown, each caster is rotatably mounted, preferably with a ball bearing, on a supporting plate 23, which is stationarily secured in the leg, as by screws or screw bolts 2| fastening the plate to perforated ribs or lugs 22 integral with and projecting inwardly from the side walls of the leg. It will be noted that the supporting member or plate 20 for the caster, when secured in place in the leg, is located within the leg above the bottom edges of the walls thereof so that the upper portion of the yoke or bearing frame for the caster roller extends up into and is effectually concealed from view by the overlying and surrounding hoodlike end of the leg. V

I claim as my invention: 7

l. A spider base for swivel chairs and the like comprising slender radiating legs having downwardly opening cavities in their outer end portions with relatively thin side and outer end walls, and supporting casters at the outer end portions of the. legs, said casters comprising rollers journ-alled on trailing members mounted to swivel on the legs with the upper portions of said trailing membersprojecting up into said cavities in the legs above the bottom edges of the walls of the cavities, whereby said' walls of the legs more nearly conceal the casters fromview, each 'leg cavity being of less horizontal width thanthe diameter of the arc in which the outermost peripheral portions of the related caster roller travel in the swivelling of the caster.

2. A spider base for swivel chairs and the like comprising slender radiating legs having downwardly opening cavities in their outer end .por-l tions with relativelyxthin side and outer end Walls, and supporting casters at the outer end portions of the legs, said casters comprising rol- "lers journalled on trailing members mounted to swivel on the legs with the upper portions of said 7 trailing members projecting up into said cavities in the legs above'ther bottom edges of the walls of the cavities, whereby said walls of the legs more nearly conceal the casters from view the 7 location of each'caster relative to the leg on which it' is mounted being such that the lower edges of the walls of the leg cavity are disposed approximately in a horizontal plane tangent to r I the top' of the outer periphery of the caster roller.

JAMES R. JONES. 

